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October 16, 2007

Sally Foster, My Kids Will Not Be Working For You!

It's fall and fundraisers are in full-swing. We've already had Entertainment Books to sell (I bought one because, really, they do pay for themselves) but we did not try to pawn them off on any of our family and friends. And this weekend the dreaded Sally Foster Fundraiser packet was in the backpacks.I don't want to squash school spirit- I am all for supporting the school and such, but come on. How can I, in good conscience, have my kids peddling hideous foil gift wrap at ridiculously high prices? Or 6 oz. of stale peanut clusters for $8. Not including tax and shipping. Really?

And the prizes for the top sellers (read: kid who has a Mom & Dad with the most co-workers) - oh, the prizes! Such incentive! The Top Selling Student in each class will win a darling, walking, grunting Pig! And in small print: The soft, furry, battery operated kind! AND for every $75 in sales, your name is entered to win a $25 Wal-Mart Gift Card! Don't even get me started.

Fund raisers make me crazy. I hate asking people to buy junk and it's always something. The kids are constantly bringing home fund raisers or requests for items, money, etc. It gets to be $$ with more than one in school! We are doing boy scout popcorn too. At least it does taste good and I really believe in scouting. The last fundraiser sent home silly string that comes in a can and sticks to everything. Never again.

I've always joked that when we get ready to start homeschooling "for real" that I'm going to go to the dollar store and buy a bunch of cr@p and gift wrap, mark it up 150% and hit up our friends and families to buy it to raise funds for our curriculum. Public school kids get away with it, right?

I agree 100%. I always felt pressured into buying that junk, looking at the poor sad faces of the kids. I do buy girl scout cookies, but that's about it for right now...you get about 5 peanut chocolate clusters in a box that costs $5.

Amen! I am so glad I'm not the only one who despises these fundraisers and send them straight to the trash. I've felt slightly guilty for awhile thinking my boys are probably the only ones that don't sell anything.

I feel your pain on fundraisers. I refuse to sell anything from those books and my kids hate me for it. We did have a raffle though and I bought tickets because I could use a $1000 paint job or new granite countertops and new sink. I understand the importance of the fundraisers, but why can't we sell things that people need and/or would buy anyway...

It is so pitiful that the schools make kids peddle that crap. What ever happened to bake sales or community fairs? You know, fund raisers that were fun and actually required everyone to pitch in and help out.

My husband and I got our fill of fundraisers when we taught at a private school in Savannah, GA. The school we are presently at does not do fundraisers for which we are very relieved. I agree with other commenters who say they refuse to foist that on their coworkers and neighbors. As you say, I'm all for school spirit, but there's got to be a better way than encouraging the consumption of overpriced junk.

I am so glad to see that so many other people feel the same way as I do about fund raisers!! I would much rather just give some actual cash money to the school than let them get a measley 20-30% of the sale!! It's crazy!!

Amen! We sell those in my woman's club and I just cannot stomach it...the wrapping paper is 'nice' but definitely overpriced...I always end up buying a little bit myself and selling some to my sister...and that's it! I just cannot peddle those wares...and to think I might have to do it for school?! Yikes!!

In Isabella's old school they had these horrible frozed dinners in a catalogue as a fund raiser and they had monthly specials like frozen cakes or donuts. It was disgusting food, and then Isabella would come home and feel pressured to order and was always really upset when I tossed the catalogue and explained it was unhealthy food. It was really difficult to explain to a kindergartner why they would promote something unhealty at schools.

I hate those fund raisers, what I do, is buy their most expensive ad spots in the school directory etc. to support, and just write a check. I don't want to promote that kind of sales in schools at all.

At least you have an option! At the school my girls go to (private school I'm paying a lot for, I might add), we have to sell at least $25 worth of stuff for each fundraiser. We buy an entertainment book for ourselves...we totally get our money's worth out of it though. The wrapping paper...ugh! I don't want to do it! I'm sure our packet will come home sometime this week.

I **despise** fundraisers. Yet, I have such a hard time saying no. I just spent $12 on nasty cookie dough. I know it's nasty...we did the same thing last year. And it is all about co-workers and big neighborhoods!

Hey guys, don't be so negative about school fund raisers. I know they can be painful, but the money does provide important school supplies for your kids i.e new books, computers and things your kids can benefit from. I do agree though that the incentive was terrible, and that your school should be come a little more creative.

a great alternative, from Mothering magazine's website: School Fundraising to Feel Good About

Torn between wanting to support school fundraising efforts and a disdain for the cheap products routinely hawked in such campaigns? Check out a new line of environmentally friendly, all natural, feel-good items you'll actually want to buy and use, from School Garden Company. Their handmade herbal body products contain organic ingredients, and the roster includes lipbalm, hand salve, healing salve, and bath salts, sold individually and in gift packs. Get your school affiliated with this unique fundraising program, and say hello to a win/win endeavor. School Garden Company not only offers top quality goods, it helps schools in two important ways: schools earn 50 percent from all sales of School Garden products, and the company donates all annual after-tax profits to schools striving to teach academic standards, nutrition and environmental stewardship through garden programs. Founded by mother and environmental educator Lisa Ludwigsen, School Garden Company can be reached via their website, www.schoolgardenco.com, or at 707-762-5772. Connect your school or club to School Garden Company, and turn fundraising into a positively enriching experience.

There is a point when enough is enough. Our PTO does all of our fundraisers and being our teacher rep for PTO has opened my eyes that they need the money, but I think we need to look at some different fundraisers. It is funny that you said Sally Foster though cause I just picked up Dylan's orders today. I actually let him go around to our neighbors and he was tickled pink. Now we just have to sort and get everything out now!

We don't participate with the selling stuff fundraisers. There are lots of other ways to help your school...that's why I coordinate the BoxTops for Education program, serve on the PTO Board etc... There's jsut nothing I want on those magazines although it does depend on the company your school chooses. We did a Jaxco fundraiser this year and the kids who sold 15 items got to go to a BMX Bike Stunt show. If my boys were in school, they'd probably be giving me a hard time about that one. My point is, there is more than one way to support your school!! Don't feel bad about not doing one thing, cause there are other ways to help out.